Egg-free cookies: Seven-layer bars

Sometimes you can tell a recipe's going to be evil just by its name: Seven-layer bars, seven deadly sins. Coincidence? No.

These cookie bars have no nutritionally redeeming qualities -- I refuse to count graham-cracker crumbs as nutritious when it's soaked in a half cup of butter.

And that's what makes them so yummy. So delicious that I can't keep my mitts away from them. So decadent that I don't make them often because they keep finding their way to my mouth.

They're also incredibly easy, particularly if you buy pre-fab graham cracker crumbs. I usually grind my own in a food processor, which takes a bit longer but not much.

The recipe originally came from a can of Eagle Brand Milk, many many decades ago. Few changes were required to make it allergy safe.

The only challenge with making these peanut-free as well is in the baking chips. I'm lucky, because the local store-brand chocolate chip remains peanut-free. Local stores also stock Guittard and Enjoy Life chips. Guittard also makes peanut-safe butterscotch and cappuccino varieties that are great for this recipe. You can use all chocolate chips if you can't find another safe flavor.

Seven-layer bars

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

! cup butterscotch morsels

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped nuts -- I use almonds, which Big Guy's not allergic to -- or leave them out

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